Microscopy laboratory system

ABSTRACT

A microscopy laboratory system for efficient instruction is disclosed. The system comprises a plurality of student microscopes each equipped with a camera for generating an image signal representing a student view image of at least a portion of the field of view of the student microscope, multiplexed control means connected by video cables or wireless technology to the cameras to provide a composite instruction image signal based on student view images from one or more selected microscopes, and a projection unit or other public display for presenting the instruction image to the students in the laboratory. An instructor microscope can also be coupled into the system, and a display image marker is preferably linked to the multiplexed control means for inserting instructor annotations into the displayed instruction image.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates generally to instructional settingswherein participants view specimens through respective microscopes, andmore particularly to a microscopy laboratory system wherein aninstructor and students can view an overall instructional image thatselectively includes images from the field of view of one, some, or allof the microscopes in the laboratory.

[0002] Microscopy laboratories at universities, teaching hospitals, etc.are known to include a television monitor or projection unit thatreceives an image signal from a camera mounted on the instructor'smicroscope, such as by a C-mount, trinocular viewing body, video module,or the like. In this way, each student in the laboratory can view animage that serves as a model to help him or her position a like specimenon his or her own microscope and to adjust the specimen location,objective power, focus, illumination, filters and other parameters ofthe microscope in an effort to match the displayed image from the fieldof view of the instructor's microscope. In this type of system, it isalso known to provide a marking device that allows the instructor toannotate the displayed image from his or her microscope. Absent thistechnology, a photograph in a textbook is often used as a model. Adrawback of this system is that the instructor cannot see what thestudents are viewing through their own microscopes. Often, theinstructor must walk around the laboratory and look through eachstudent's microscope to make sure every student in the laboratory isviewing a proper image, or the instructor must walk over to a particularstudent's station whenever a question arises. Clearly, this type ofsystem is inefficient because the instructor must spend time checkingthe student microscopes rather than instructing the students. Anotherdrawback is that the instructor has no means to annotate an image from astudent's microscope to better provide constructive criticism orpositive reinforcement.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved microscopy laboratory system that allows an instructor andstudents to simultaneously see images from the field of view of one,some, or all of the student microscopes as desired.

[0004] It is another object of the present invention to provide animproved microscopy laboratory system that allows an instructor toannotate images from the field of view of the instructor's microscopeand any student's microscope for instructional purposes.

[0005] These and other objects are achieved by a microscopy laboratorysystem according to the present invention. The system comprises aplurality of student microscopes each having a camera, for example adigital video camera, coupled thereto for generating an image signalrepresenting a student view image of at least a portion of the field ofview of the student microscope. The system also comprises multiplexedcontrol means connected by video cables or wireless technology to thecameras to receive the respective image signals, and a display meanssuch as a projection unit, one or more shared viewing monitors, orindividual student viewing monitors connected to the multiplexed controlmeans for presenting an instruction image to the students in thelaboratory. The multiplexed control means enables an instructor toselect a set of image signals that will make up the publicly displayedinstruction image. Where more than one image signal is selected, theinstruction image is divided into smaller image windows corresponding tothe selected image signals. The selected set of image signals can be aset of one image signal, a set of image signals corresponding to one ofa plurality of predefined sub-groups of image signals, a sub-group ofimage signals chosen by the instructor, or a set of all the availableimage signals.

[0006] The microscopy laboratory system preferably comprises aninstructor microscope equipped with a camera that is also connected tosupply an image signal to the multiplexed control means, whereby theinstruction image can include an instructor view image. A dedicatedinstructor monitor is preferably provided for presenting the instructionimage to the instructor. The system also preferably comprises a displayimage marker connected to the multiplexed control means for enabling theinstructor to annotate instruction image seen by the students, and acomputer linked to the multiplexed control means for storage, retrieval,and enhancement of images.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The nature and mode of operation of the present invention willnow be more fully described in the following detailed description of theinvention taken with the accompanying drawing figures, in which:

[0008]FIG. 1 is a general schematic view of a microscopy laboratorysystem formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0009]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing connections between hardwarecomponents of the microscopy laboratory system shown in FIG. 1;

[0010]FIG. 3 is a plan view of a user interface of a multiplexer controlmeans of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

[0011]FIG. 4 is schematic diagram of a microscopy laboratory systemformed in accordance with another embodiment of the present inventionutilizing a commercially available multiplexer; and

[0012]FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a microscopy laboratory systemformed in accordance with another embodiment of the present inventionutilizing wireless signal communication.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, amicroscopy laboratory system formed in accordance with a firstembodiment of the present invention is generally identified by referencenumeral 10. Microscopy laboratory system 10 comprises a plurality ofstudent microscopes 12A-12T each equipped with a video camera 14 forgenerating an image signal representing a student view image of at leasta portion of the field of view of the corresponding student microscope,and an instructor microscope 16 likewise equipped with a camera 14 forgenerating an image signal representing an instructor view image of atleast a portion of the field of view of instructor microscope 16.Cameras 14 are preferably video cameras that are either retrofitted toor integrated with the microscope through a C-mount, a trinocularviewing body attachment, or an integrated video module inserted betweenthe microscope stand and the binocular tube of the microscope. By way ofnon-limiting example, the Leica IC A and Leica ICC A video modulesavailable from Leica Microsystems Inc. are suitable for practicing thepresent invention with various specified microscope models availablefrom the same supplier.

[0014] Microscopy laboratory system 10 further comprises multiplexedcontrol means 20 connected to cameras 14 for receiving image signals asinput, enabling an instructor to select a set of the received imagesignals for display as output, and generating an instruction imagesignal based on the selected set of image signals. In the embodiment ofFIGS. 1 and 2, multiplexed control means 20 is a video multiplexerconfigured with a custom user interface 22, for example a user interfaceas shown in FIG. 3, that allows the instructor to establish a suitableinstruction image 24 as will be described below. Multiplexed controlmeans 20 could also be a digital image multiplexer, depending on theformat of the image signals from cameras 14.

[0015] The instruction image signal from multiplexed control means 20 iscommunicated to a suitable public display device, such as a projectionunit 26 connected to the multiplexed control means, so that all studentscan simultaneously view instruction image 24. As an alternative toprojecting instruction image 24 for public viewing, it is of coursepossible to provide one or several shared viewing monitors, and it isalso possible to provide each student microscope station with its ownviewing means, such as a small video monitor or display unit (not shown)connected to receive output from multiplexed control means 20. Aninstructor monitor 28 is preferably provided in the vicinity of userinterface 22 for facilitating ergonomically agreeable viewing ofinstruction image 24 by the instructor.

[0016] User interface 22 shown in FIG. 3 generally comprises a bracketedbutton system that enables the instructor to compose a suitableinstruction image 24 by choosing a set of image signals corresponding toview images which the instructor wishes to include in the instructionimage. Selection of button 30 results in an instruction image 24 likethat illustrated in FIG. 1, in which the instruction image is dividedinto a plurality of smaller image windows 25 such that all of thestudent view images from student microscopes 12A-12T are presented inthe instruction image. Selection of button 32 yields an instructionimage containing only student view images from student microscopes12A-12J, while selection of button 34 yields an instruction imagecontaining only student view images from student microscopes 12K-12T.Instruction image 24 can be restricted to further sub-groups of studentview images by selection of button 36 corresponding to studentmicroscopes 12A-12E, button 38 corresponding to student microscopes12F-12J, button 40 corresponding to student microscopes 12K-12O, orbutton 42 corresponding to student microscopes 12P-12T. Instructionimage 24 can also be limited to a single student view image from achosen student microscope by pressing any one of buttons 44. A MANUALSELECT button 46 is preferably provided to allow the instructor tocompose an instruction image that differs from one of the predeterminedsub-groups associated with buttons 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, and 42. WithMANUAL SELECT button 46 depressed, the instructor can then select morethan one button 44 to choose the desired student view images. Theinstructor may also present an instruction image corresponding to theimage signal from instructor microscope 16 using INSTRUCTOR MICROSCOPEbutton 48. An image magnification function is preferably provided and isaccessed through MAGNIFY button 50. If desired, identifying indicia 27are superimposed in each image window 25 to indicate the particularmicroscope associated with the image window by pressing DISPLAY ID INFObutton 52. User interface 22 is also shown as including a POWER button54.

[0017] Microscopy laboratory system 10 further comprises a display imagemarker 56 connected to the multiplexed control means 20 for enabling theinstructor to annotate instruction image 24, and a computer 80 havingmemory 82 also connected to the multiplexed control means for storinginstruction image 24 and/or student view images from microscopes 14and/or an instructor view image. Display image marker 56 can be a videomarking system that takes input from a digitizing tablet 58 andaccompanying pen 60, and/or from other input sources such as a keyboard,light pen, or touch screen, and superimposes markings on instructionimage 24. Display image marker 56 can be integrated with multiplexedcontrol means 20, as shown, or can be connected as a standalone portionof the system. As will be appreciated, display image marker 56 gives theinstructor considerable power to highlight important image features toall students, highlight problems with a particular student view image,and emphasize positive aspects of a particular student view image.Computer 80 can be used to store images to and retrieve images frommemory 82, and to enhance images using available software.

[0018]FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention wherein amicroscopy laboratory system 110 is configured using an existing “offthe shelf” video multiplexer 120. Video multiplexer 120 is a PANASONIC®WJ-FS216 Digital Video Simplex Multiplexer having sixteen camera inputsfor receiving image signals from sixteen cameras 14, one camera beingcoupled with an instructor microscope and the remaining fifteen camerasbeing coupled with respective student microscopes. Buttons 122 onmultiplexer 120 allow the image signal from a particular camera to beselected when toggle 124 is switched to a “CAMERA SELECT” position.Certain of the buttons 122 have a dual function that is enabled whentoggle 124 is switched to a “MODE SELECT” position as shown in FIG. 4.More specifically, the buttons for the first through third cameras eachhave a second mode for providing a multi-window display of four, nine,and sixteen image windows, as indicated by icons 126, 128, and 130,respectively. A ZOOM button 132 for magnifying instruction image 24 isalso provided.

[0019] Microscopy laboratory system 110 also includes a commerciallyavailable display image marker 156. The POINTMAKER® PVI-44 Video Markeravailable from Boeckeler Instruments, Inc. is suitable for practicingthe present invention. Display image marker 156 is connected by standardvideo cable to receive an output image signal from multiplexer 120. Afinal instruction image signal, including any annotations added by wayof display image marker 156, is supplied to projection unit 26 and to anoptional videocassette recorder 160 operatively associated withinstructor monitor 28. Consequently, it is possible to recordinstructional lessons and observed microscopic processes for future use.

[0020] The embodiments described above rely on video cables fortransmitting image signals between components. In situations whereextensive cabling is impractical, unsafe, or otherwise undesirable, itis contemplated to provide wireless connections enabling transmission ofimage signals from cameras 14 to multiplexed control means 20, and frommultiplexed control means 20 to projection unit 26 or to individual orshared student viewing monitors. FIG. 5 shows a microscopy laboratorysystem 210 that is generally similar to systems 10 and 110 describedabove, however cameras 14 are equipped with transmitters 70 fortransmitting the image signals to a multi-channel receiver 72 connectedto multiplexed control means 20. In addition, a transmitter 74 isoperatively connected to multiplexed control means 20 and communicateswith corresponding receivers 76 and 78 linked to projection unit 26 andinstructor monitor 28, respectively. Receivers 72, 76 and 78 andtransmitters 70 and 74 can be analog wireless communication devices ordigital wireless communication devices, depending upon systemrequirements.

What is claimed is:
 1. A microscopy laboratory system comprising: aplurality of student microscopes; a plurality of cameras associated onewith each of said plurality of student microscopes for generating animage signal representing a student view image of at least a portion ofthe field of view of said student microscope; multiplexed control meansconnected to said plurality of cameras for receiving said image signalsand enabling an instructor to select a set of said image signals fordisplay, wherein said multiplexed control means generates an instructionimage signal generated from said selected set of image signals; anddisplay means connected to said multiplexed control means for receivingsaid instruction image signal and displaying an instruction imagecomprising student view images corresponding to said selected set ofimage signals.
 2. The microscope laboratory system according to claim 1,further comprising an instructor microscope and a camera for generatingan image signal representing an instructor view image of at least aportion of the field of view of said instructor microscope, wherein saidmultiplexed control means is connected to said camera associated withsaid instructor microscope to receive said image signal generatedthereby, whereby said instruction image optionally comprises saidinstructor view image.
 3. The microscopy laboratory system according toclaim 1, wherein said multiplexed control means allows said instructorto select all of said image signals from said cameras associated withsaid plurality of student microscopes as said selected set.
 4. Themicroscopy laboratory system according to claim 2, wherein saidmultiplexed control means allows said instructor to select all of saidimage signals from said cameras associated with said plurality ofstudent microscopes as said selected set.
 5. The microscopy laboratorysystem according to claim 1, wherein said multiplexed control meansallows said instructor to select said image signal from said cameraassociated with any one of said plurality of student microscopes as saidselected set.
 6. The microscopy laboratory system according to claim 2,wherein said multiplexed control means allows said instructor to selectsaid image signal from said camera associated with any one of saidplurality of student microscopes as said selected set.
 7. The microscopylaboratory system according to claim 1, wherein said multiplexed controlmeans allows said instructor to select said image signals from camerasof a predetermined sub-group of said plurality of student microscopes assaid selected set.
 8. The microscopy laboratory system according toclaim 2, wherein said multiplexed control means allows said instructorto select said image signals from cameras of a predetermined sub-groupof said plurality of student microscopes as said selected set.
 9. Themicroscopy laboratory system according to claim 7, wherein there is aplurality of different predetermined sub-groups of said studentmicroscopes.
 10. The microscopy laboratory system according to claim 8,wherein there is a plurality of different predetermined sub-groups ofsaid student microscopes.
 11. The microscopy laboratory system accordingto claim 2, wherein said multiplexed control means allows saidinstructor to select said image signal from said camera associated withsaid instructor microscope as said selected set.
 12. The microscopylaboratory system according to claim 1, further comprising a displayimage marker connected to said multiplexed control means for enablingsaid instructor to annotate said instruction image.
 13. The microscopylaboratory system according to claim 2, further comprising a displayimage marker connected to said multiplexed control means for enablingsaid instructor to annotate said instruction image.
 14. The microscopylaboratory system according to claim 1, further comprising a computerconnected to said multiplexed control means, said computer having amemory, whereby said instruction image and said student view images canbe stored in and retrieved from said memory.
 15. The microscopylaboratory system according to claim 2, further comprising a computerconnected to said multiplexed control means, said computer having amemory, whereby said instruction image, said student view images, andsaid instructor view image can be stored in and retrieved from saidmemory.
 16. The microscopy laboratory system according to claim 1,wherein said multiplexed control means comprises means for selectivelysuperimposing respective identification information on each said studentview image in said instruction image.
 17. The microscopy laboratorysystem according to claim 2, wherein said multiplexed control meanscomprises means for selectively superimposing respective identificationinformation on each said student view image in said instruction image.18. The microscopy laboratory system according to claim 1, wherein saidmultiplexed control means comprises means for magnifying saidinstruction image.
 19. The microscopy laboratory system according toclaim 2, wherein said multiplexed control means comprises means formagnifying said instruction image.
 20. The microscopy laboratory systemaccording to claim 1, wherein said connection between said multiplexedcontrol means and said plurality of cameras comprises a wirelessconnection.
 21. The microscopy laboratory system according to claim 1,wherein said connection between said display means and said multiplexedcontrol means comprises a wireless connection.